This is a discussion on New Member within the New Member Hangout forums, part of the Community - Meet other Enthusiasts category; Good morning, and hello to all.
I only have one experience owning a Subaru and it was a 2005 Legacy ...

New Member

Good morning, and hello to all.
I only have one experience owning a Subaru and it was a 2005 Legacy GT Limited automatic sedan. I test drove the stick and auto and opted for the automatic since at the time I had a long commute to work on very un-entertaining roads and was trading in a 6-speed Nissan versa which has absolutely no balls, so having the turbo power, but convenience of an automatic got the best of me. I had that car for about a year and a half, sold it and bought a Wrangler and a motorcycle and then opted for gas mpg over the fun of a Wrangler and got into my third Civic, and that's what I'm currently driving.

I'm getting the Subaru bug again and am contemplating selling the bike and Civic and getting into a used WRX. However I don't have bottomless pockets and want the best bang for the buck, joined here to learn what to look for, years to avoid, etc.

Hopefully I'll be able to mod it a little, whatever improves it's 0-60 time. Plus I'm a sucker for the sound of a WRX with aftermarket exhaust (my R1 kinda sounds similar at idle).

But anyway, so are there any concerns with the first year the WRX had 265? 09 I think?

I'm not set on an 09, just set on the 265hp engine. And isn't the listed 0-60 time of the WRX just one tenth slower than the STI? I haven't considered an STI, but I'll check out the prices of those years in my area. I have to say I'm hesitant about getting an abused WRX/STI, so the lower the mileage I can get the more confident I'll feel.

Thanks Rambo. Yeah, first year glitches worry me. I might still be in my Legacy if it weren't for me hearing that allegedly in 05, the first year of the turbo in a Legacy, that model year had an oil return line that was too narrow? And could supposedly burn out the turbo? I maintained the car well, but was the second owner, and just didn't want to chance having to replace a turbo and bailed before my extended warranty ran out! If I found a nice WRX, I have to say if a Spec B LGT w/ those caramel-ish color leather seats was available I'm not sure which I'd pick!

And isn't the listed 0-60 time of the WRX just one tenth slower than the STI?

0-60 times are pretty much useless in determining what a car is like to drive. While it's fun to compare magazine stats, bear in mine those writers are absolutely flogging the cars the car within an inch of their lives (the cars are all media loaners, so no skin off their backs).

I guarantee very few real owners would be willing to beat their car hard enough to match magazine times. Your best bet as always would be to test drive both under real world circumstances, and then decide which you like best and fits within your budget.

0-60 times are pretty much useless in determining what a car is like to drive. While it's fun to compare magazine stats, bear in mine those writers are absolutely flogging the cars the car within an inch of their lives (the cars are all media loaners, so no skin off their backs).

I guarantee very few real owners would be willing to beat their car hard enough to match magazine times. Your best bet as always would be to test drive both under real world circumstances, and then decide which you like best and fits within your budget.

This ^

Try not to focus on 0-60 times. Those times hold no bearing on what a car is like to live with on a daily basis.

I'm aware that the posted numbers are by professionals, but still, I bought a brand new 2005 Nissan Altima 3.5SE 5-speed and one of the selling points was the supposed 0-60 time of 5.95 seconds was quicker than a Porsche Boxster.

And 0-60 times are to me, the safest and most fun. 60-80 roll ons is territory for tickets on the freeway, but the rush of initial acceleration is fun!

The 2013 Porsche Caymen allegedly does 0-60 in the same time as a 2010 WRX. Before owning my Legacy GT, I owned an Explorer, a Wrangler and a Nissan Frontier and the awd Legacy was the balls in the winter, so that's something I'm looking forward to, but yeah, as squidly as it sounds 0-60 time is what strikes me the most.

For paper racing 0-60 is perfectly fine. It shows some capabilities, not the specific car in day-to-day driving, but it's a comparison factor. I see nothing wrong with looking at those numbers... At the face of it that's where comparisons start. A 0-6 in 60 seconds (like my old sidekick) compares with the wrx pretty much like real live reality...

EDIT: I'm not trying to sound like I'm discrediting 0-60 times. They have their place in the automotive world. I'm just trying to give someone looking to get into a WRX a realistic view that our cars aren't not meant for 0-60 runs. Just want to be honest.

My Altima had a lot of torque steer. AWD will be refreshing in contrast, but again I owned the Legacy, so to a point I know what I'm getting into.

I get what you're saying to a degree, and I'm not planning on timing my starts and expecting to hit 60 in 4.8 seconds everytime, but my point more so is that driving a car that has an alleged sub 5 second acceleration time will be more fun than say, a 2012 Civic SI that has 0-60 times listed anywhere from 6.8-8.4 seconds.

That's highly debatable. I'd argue the average auto blogger isn't any more skilled at driving than you or I, but it's easy to push a car to its limits and beyond when it isn't yours.
"What is the best track car? Your buddy's."

Originally Posted by Civic15

And 0-60 times are to me, the safest and most fun. 60-80 roll ons is territory for tickets on the freeway, but the rush of initial acceleration is fun!

The 2013 Porsche Caymen allegedly does 0-60 in the same time as a 2010 WRX. Before owning my Legacy GT, I owned an Explorer, a Wrangler and a Nissan Frontier and the awd Legacy was the balls in the winter, so that's something I'm looking forward to, but yeah, as squidly as it sounds 0-60 time is what strikes me the most.

Well, if 0-60 is your key buying point, I'd look elsewhere then. Subaru transmissions are not meant to handle the stresses of hard 0-60 sprints, and the AWD system was never intended for such. Subaru designed their AWD system to maintain traction in inclement weather until normal driving speeds, not for blasting off at green lights.

If you'd like a great car for 0-60 runs, why not look at a used Corvette or the like? Those will blow the doors off any WRX in a straight line (and probably most corners), and such activities are far less likely to blow up the gearbox.

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